Needle-cam for straight independent-needle knitting-machines.



BQPOPP, NEEDLE CAM FOR STRAIGHT INDEPENDENT NEEDLE KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 22,1908. Nov 23 4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

x/w t/yroy (Bra )2 a P B. POPP. NEEDLE CAM FOR STRAIGHT INDEPENDENT NEEDLE KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED APB ZZ. 1908. NOV. 23

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63 '1 Fin B. POPP. NEEDLE 0AM FOR STRAIGHT INDEPENDENT NEEDLE KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION IILBDLPR. 22,1908.

Patented N0v.23, 1909.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

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B. POPP. NEEDLE CAM FOR STRAIGHT INDEPENDENT NEEDLE KNITTING MACHINES.

APPLICATION IILED APE. 22.1908. 941,206. Patented Nov. 23. 1909.

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BRUNO FOPP, OF COUVE'I, SW'ITZEELAND, ASSIGNOR TO EDOUARD DUBIED & CIEL, OF

COUVET, SWITZERLAND.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 22, 1908'.

T all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Bruno Porr, a citizen of the Republic of Switzerland, residing at Couvet, in the Canton of Neuchatel, Republic of Switzerland, whose post-oifice address is Couvet, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Needle-Cams for Straight Independent-Needle Knitting-Machines; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art .to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to char acters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to knitting machines of the straight independent needle type and more especially to the so called locks.

All the existing locks for straight independent needle knitting machines for producing plain tubular goods, onesided goods, cardigan goods, ribbed goods and tucked goods, have the more or less pronounced disadvantage that the needles at the moment at which they are to knit are not sufiiciently secure to prevent an unintentional displacement of the same and a consequent dropping or escape of the thread, while allowing nevertheless, the needles when they are not to knit to be thrown into a position where they will not interfere with the smooth working of the machine. The consequences of this are a longitudinal drawing out of the loops by the needle depressors in plain tubular goods, faulty interknitting in one-sided goods, falling oil of the loops on the rapid working of the needle cams, striking of the feet of the needles against unprotected corners of the needle litters and tongues, and a premature rising or bounding up of the needles into the position in which the loops come behind the needle latches and so forth. In the needle cam forming a part of the subject matter of the present invention these disadvantages are overcome by preventing the needles when they are in the needle channels from an unintentional movement beyond the permissible limits.

In the accompanying drawings one form of carrying out the invention has been illustrated by way of example.

1 g I l I J i i l r I IE-NEEDLE KNITTING-MACHINES.

Patented Nov. 23, 1969.

Serial No. 428,657.

Figures 1 to 5 inclusive are diagrammatic plans showing the tuating the same,

needles, the parts for acand the needle beds as employed for various modes of knitting; Figs.

(3 to inclusive show cross sections of the needle beds and indicate the various positions of the needles corresponding to different kinds of knitting; the line A tions of the various parts when knitt B of Fig. 1, showing the posiof the needle cam ing ribbed goods; Fig. 12 is a section upon the line C-D of Fig. 1 and Fig. 13 is a Fig. 1; Fig. of Fig. l,

and like Figs. 12 and 13 exhibits various parts of the needle cam; Figs. 15 to 18 inclusive show positions of the various parts of the needle cam when knitting cardigan goods with the cardigan loop in the hook of the needle; Fig. 15 being a section upon the line AB of Fig. 1, Fig. 16 a section the line CD upon or Fig. 1, Fig. 17 a section upon the line EF of Fig. l, and Fig. 18 a section upon the line G-H of Fig. 1; Figs. 19 to 22 inclusive show the positions of the various parts of the needle cani when knitting tucked in the hooks of the needles; Fig. 19 section on being a section upon F :21 a section on and Fig. 22 a section Fig. 1; Figs. 23

goods, with the catch or rib loop being a the line A-B of Fig. 1; Fig. the line OD of Fig. l, the line EF of Fig. 1, upon the line G H of to 26 inclusive show the positions of the various parts of the needle cam when knitting plain tubular goods; Fig. 23 being a section upon the line A-B of 1, Fig. 24 being a section of the line CD of Fig. 1, Fig. 25 a section on the line EF of Fig. 1, and line GH of Fig. 1; show the positions of the various parts of Fig. 26 a section on the Figs. 27 to inclusive the needle cam when knitting one-sided goods; Fig. 27 being a section upon the line A-B of Fig. 1, Fig. 28 a section on the line C'D of Fig. 1, Fig. 29 a section on the line E-F of Fig. 1, and Fig. 30 a section on the line GH tion of the plan of the 01'' Fig. 1; Fig. 31 is a front elevaneedle cam complete; Fig. 32 is a needle cam, the slide plate being partially broken away; Fig. 33 is a section through the needle cam on Fig.

the line AB of 32; Fig. 34 is a section through the Fig. 11 is a section upon 7 raised out of the working position.

needle cam on the line CD of Fig. 32; Fig. 35 is a view of the lock as seen from below. Fig. 36 is a section on the line E F of Fig. 35 and Fig. 37 is a section on the line G H of Fig. 35.

As may be seen preferably from Figs. 1 and 3137 the needle cam has lower needle lifters 31, 32,33 and 34 and upper needle lifters 35, 36, 37 and 38. Each of the former is mounted on a wing 66, of which two are connected or hinged to a wing support or carrier 73, fixed to the needle cam plate 72. Each of the lower needle lifters is provided with an arch or convex surface rising from the inside to the outside and is kept in a working position by a spring, 63, pressing on the appertaining wing, when it is not Each of the upper needle lifters, 35, 36, 37 and 38 has a shaft passing through the slide plate, 82, the shaft having a lever, 79, attached to it and resting against the slide plate, 82. A spring, 62,11asatendency to move the needle lifter into the lowest position. Dependent upon the position of the lever, 79, that is Whether the same is moved into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 34 or into the position shown in dotted lines, the appertaining upper needle lifters will assume a higher or lower position. Each of the upper needle lifters is provided with a cross pin, 67, by means of which it rests on the wing, 66, which is next to it.

4-3, 44, 45 and 46 indicate tongues arranged on the needle cam plate and movable in pairs around the same center of rotation. Each of the tongues is connected by means of a pin, 74, with a tongue slide, 70, having a slot, 71, which slide is mounted in a recess of the wing support, 73, and is prevented from falling out by a cover plate, Springs, 77, arranged beneath the tongue slides, 7 O, and each of them engaging on a fixed pin, 76, and a pin, 7 6*, on the tongue slide, have a tendency to pull the appertaining tongue slide to the top; as however, each of the latter is connected as above mentioned with one of the tongues the same also is pulled to the top.

The needle cam plate, 72, is fastened to the slide-plate, 82, by means of screws, The needle cam plate carries small guide blocks, 84, on which slotted slides 61, ma, be moved. The small plates, 85, screwed on the guide blocks keep the slides in the correct position. The object of the springs, 86, is to fix the slides in the drawn in or pulled out position by dropping into correspondingly arranged recesses, 87.

Each slide, 61, is provided with an inclined surface, (34, (Figs. 31 and 32) on which a pin, 65, of the wing, 66, rests, and further with cam surfaces, 68, with which the pins, 69, of the tongue slide, 70, engage.

If the slides, 61, are pushed inward the inclined surfaces, 64, slide beneath the pin, 65, the upper needle lifters, 35 and 38, as well as the lower needle lifters, 31 and 34, being thus raised through the intermediary of the wings, 66, and the pins, 67 furthermore owing to the fact that the pins, 69, engage the cam surfaces, 68, the tongues, 43 and 46, are moved to the top, that is are moved into the position indicated in the lower half of Fig.

39, 40, 41 and 42 are the needle depressors. The same control the length of the loops.

47 and 48 are safety guards the purpose of which will be explained later on.

lrlereinafter the channels situated between a lower needle lifter and the needle sinker next to it are referred to as the lower needle channels and the channels situated between the upper needle lifter and the inner surface of the safety guard next to itare referred to as the upper needle channels.

Figs. 1, 11, 12, 13 and 14 illustrate the travel of the needle cam when knitting ribbed goods and it is assumed that the needle cams move from left to right. All the needle lifters are in the working position, that is the slides, 61, are pulled out. The foremost needle lifters 31, 32, 35 and 36, bring the needles into their highest po sition, 51, 52 (Fig. 6) while the safety triangles and the needle depressors, 41 and 42, bring the needles back again into their lower working position. As may be seen from Fig. 1, each needle foot is guided in each position in a. needle channel while the needle is knitting, thus any unintentional bounding or driving up of the needles as well as the falling down of the same and the disturbances caused thereby are prevented. On the backward travel of the needle cam the mode of act-ion is the same in so far as the needle lifters 33, 34, 37 and 38 move the needles into their highest position while the safety triangles, 47 and 48, and the needle sinkers 39 and 40, return the same into the lower working posit-ion.

Figs. 2, 15, 16, 17 and 18 illustrate the travel of the needle cam when knitting cardigan goods with the cardigan loop in the hook of the needle, the locks passing from left to right. The needle lifters, 31, 32, 33, 34, 36 and 38 are in the working position, the needle lifters, and 37, being raised out of the working position. The needle lifters, and 36, bring the row of needles, 49, into the highest position, 54, 7). The needle lifter,-31 brings the row of needles, 50, only into that position in which the loops still remain on the latches of the needles and the needles are just in the position to seize the new thread (53, Fig. 7) because the needle-l fter, 35, is out of the working position. The upper needle lifter, 38, is pressed upward against the action of its sprin 62, by the needles owing to its inclined or beveled surface, (Fig. 17, dotted position) so that the needles remain in the position in which they have been brought by the lower needle lifter, 31, and are brought thereafter into their lower working position by the needle sinker, 42, on a further movement of the needle cam after they have seized the new threads without casting off their loops.

The needles on row, 49, are brought into their lowest working position by the safety guard, 48, and the needle depressor, 41, after they have seized the new threads and cast off their loops. Any driving up of the needles by the lower needle lifter, 31, is prevented by the safety guard, 47. The nongnided needles are prevented from falling too far after leaving the upper needle lifters, 36, Figs. 2 and 16, by the tongue, 45, so that the needles cannot fail lower than into the position, 53, Fig. 7, in which they still seize the new thread.

During the travel of the needle cams from right to left, the needle lifters, needle depressors and safety guards work in the opposite manner to that described, that is to say the cardigan loop is formed on the row of needles, 49, instead of on the row of needles 50, and the loops are cast ed on the row of needles 50 instead of on the row 49.

Figs. 3, 8, 19, 20, 21 and 22, illustrate the travel of the needles and the osition of the needle lifters when knitting tucked goods with the catch or .rib loops in the hook of the needle, the needle cams moving from right to left. The needle lifters, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 38 are in the working position, the needle lifters, 36 and 37 are raised out of the working position. The needle lifters, 31 and 25, bring the row of needles, 50, into their highest position 55, (Fig. 8), the lower needle lifter, 32, brings the row of needles, 49, into the position, 56, Fig. 8, in which the loops still remain on the needle latches, and the needles are ready to seize the new threads. The needle depressor, 41, brings the needles of row 49, into their lowest working position after they have seized their new threads without casting off their loops. The needles of row, 50, are brought into their lowest working position by the needle depressor, 42, after they have seized the new threads and l ave cast off their loops.

When the needle cams are traveling from right to left the lower needle lifter, 33, brings the row of needles 49, again into the same position in which they were brought by the lower needle lifter, 32, when the needle cam was traveling from left to right, and the needle depressor, 40 (Fig. brings them into their lowest working position after they have seized the new threads, without, however, casting off their loops.

The needles of row 50 are brought into their highest position by the needle lifters, 34 and 38 (Figs. 3, 21 and 22) after they have seized the new threads and cast off their loops. The driving up of the needles by the lower needle lifters, 32 and 33, is prevented by a safety guard, 48.

Figs. 4, 23, 24, 25 and 26 illustrate the travel of the needles and the position of the needle lifters when knitting plain tubular goods. The needle lifters 32, 34, 36 and 38, are in the working position while the needle lifters, 31, 33, 35 and 37 are raised out of the working position. By putting the needle lifters, 31, 33, 35 and 37 out of action, the tongues 43 and 45 (Fig. 4) have partially moved into their places and rest against the safety guards, 47 and 48, and close the upper needle channels in one direction. lVhen the needle cams pass from (left to right) the needle lifters, 32, and 36 bring the needles of row, 49, into their highest position and the safety guard, 48, and the needle depressor, 41, bring them again into their lowest working position after they have seized the new thread and cast oif their loops. The needles of row 50 thrown up by the elasticity of the loops and sliding off the needle depressor, 39, slide beneath the tongues, 43 and 46, Fig. 4, and press up the lower needle lifter, 34, owing to its curved surface (Figs. 4 and 26 dotted position).

During the travel of the needle cams from right to left the needles of row, 50, are brought into their highest position by the needle lifters, 34 and 38, and are drawn into their lowest working position by the safety guard, 47, and the needle depressor, 39, after they have seized the new threads and have cast 05 their loops. The needles of row 49, slide beneath the tongues of 44 and 45 (Fig. 4) and owing to the curved or rounded surface of the lower needle lifter, 32, press the latter upward.

Excessive rising of the non-working needles when rapidly knitting, owing to the pull of the needle depressors, 39 and 41, and the elasticity of the loops is prevented by the tongues, 43 and 45 (Fig. 4) shutting off the entrances of the upper needle channels; these tongues maintain the rising needles in the position 59 and 60 (Fig. 10) in which they still have their loops on the needle latches and consequently cannot lose the same, and the tongues, 43 and 45, draw the raised needles back again so far into a position 57 (Fig. 9) that they cannot seize a new thread and consequently cannot knit together with the other set or row of needles. Furthermore an excessive falling of the needles is prevented after leaving the upper needle lifters, 36 and 38 (Fig. 4) by the tongues, 43 and 45, the needles tending to fall being held back by these tongues so that they cannot fall any lower than into the position in which they must take hold of the new threads.

lVhen the safety guards, 47 and 48, draw down the needles, the latter, in descending, depress the spring tongues, 43 and 45, whereafter they may leave the upper needle channel.

Figs. 5, 27, 28, 29 and 30 illustrate the travel of the needles and the position of the needle lifters when knitting one-sided goods such as for example the heels of socks or stockings, the needle cams traveling from left to right. The needle lifters 32, 33, 36 and 37 are in the working position and the needle lifters, 31, 34, 35 and 38 are raised out of the working position. The needle lifters, 32 and 36 bring the needles of row, 49, into their highest position, 59, (Fig. 9), the safety triangle, 48, and the needle sinker, 41, return the same again into their last working position after they have seized the new threads and have cast off their loops. The needles of row 50 pass beneath the tongues 43 and 46. In the course of the looks from right to left the needles of the set or row of needles, 49, are brought into their highest position by the needle lifters, 33 and 37, and are drawn back into their lowest working position by the safety triangle, 48, and the needle depressor, 40, after they have seized the new threads and have cast oif their loops. The needles of row 50, pass beneath the tongues, 43 and 46 (Fig. 5).

Excessive rising of the non-working needles of row 50, when rapidly knitting by the needle depressors, 39 and 42, and the elasticity of the loops is prevented by the tongues, 43 and 46, which shut off the entrances of the upper needle channels. These tongues maintain the rising needles in the position, 59 and 60, (Fig. 10) in which they still retain their loops on the latches and consequently cannot lose the same, the needles being again drawn back by the tongues, 43 and 46 into a position 57 (Fig. 9) that they cannot seize the new thread and consequently cannot knit together with the set of needles, 49.

What I claim is 1. In needle cams for straight independent needle knitting machines, the combination of lower needle lifters 31, 32, 33, 34, upper needle lifters, 35, 36, 37 38, needle depressors 39, 40, 41, 42 and safety guards 47, 48 relatively arranged to form upper and lower needle channels and tongues 43, 44, 45, 4G situated between the aforesaid lower and upper needle lifters as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.

2. In needle cams for straight independent needle knitting machines the combination of lower needle lifters having curved surfaces upon the undersides thereof, upper needle lifters, needle depressors and safety guards relatively arranged to form upper and lower needle channels, a needle cam plate having openings for said upper and lower needle lifters, means adapted to simultaneously lower the said upper and lower needle lifters into said openings in the needle cam plate, and tongues situated between the said upper and lower needle lifters adapted to move into the places of the said upper needle lifters-when the latter are in the lowered position-and rest against the said safety guards with a view to closing the upper needle channels as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a needle cam for a straight independent needle knitting machine the combination of a needle cam plate, a wing hinged thereon, a lower needle lifter carried by said wing, an upper needle lifter resting on the wing, a tongue situated between the upper and the lower needle lifters, and means for moving said tongue into the position vacated by the upper needle lifter when the latter is moved into the inoperative position for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

4. In a needle cam for a straight independent needle knitting machine, having a needle cam plate and a wing hinged there on, said Wing carrying a lower needle lifter, the combination of a spring for normally returning the wing and litter thereon to the operative position, a pin on said wing, and a slide having an inclined surface adapted to engage said pin for the purpose of moving the wing and the lifter thereon with the inoperative position, for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

5. In a needle cam for a straight, independent needle knitting machine, having upper and lower needle lifters and needle depressors relatively arranged to form upper and lower needle channels and tongues for shutting the upper needle changes when required the combination of a slide having cam surfaces, slides connected by pins with the aforesaid tongues, and other pins on said tongue slides adapted to engage the aforesaid cam surfaces, for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.

(3. In a needle cam for a straight independent needle knitting machine, having upper and lower needle depressors and needle sinkers relatively arranged to form upper and lower needle channels, tongues situated between the upper and lower needle lifters, and means for moving said tongues into positions where they close off the upper needle channels when the upper needle lifters are moved into the inactive position, the combination of means for simultaneously moving the upper and lower needle lifters name to this specification in the presence of into and out of the operative posltions and two subscrlblng Witnesses. means for independently moving rate and T retaining the upper needle lifters, in the BRULO POPP' inoperative position, substantially as and Witnesses: for the purpose hereinbefore set forth. HERMANN HUBER,

In testimony whereof, I have signed my JOSEPH SIMON. 

